An Overview of Grey Contacts
Grey lenses are some of the sexiest, most mysterious looking lenses you can buy. The sultry allure of a smokey grey lens is captivating to look at, and enviable by others. Most people will find purchasing the right grey lenses to be difficult, but it’s much easier if you know what to look for.
Limbal Rings
Most of the time, grey circle lenses will have a black limbal ring. For almost everyone of every eye color, this black limbal ring is crucial. If your eyes are naturally light blue, you may be able to opt for a lens without a limbal ring, or a lens with a softer grey limbal ring. The function of the limbal ring on the grey lens is very necessary, though the reasons why are vastly different from lenses of other colors.
The sclera of your eye is white, and your pupil is black. This is the same on everyone. Grey is the tone between white and black. It’s darker than the white, and lighter than the black. Without any sort of limbal ring, this series of colors without a limbal ring can make the eye appear washed out, almost like a ghost. This makes gray contacts without limbal rings appealing if you’re going for a spooky look.
If you don’t want to look spooky, you need that black limbal ring. The ring will separate the gray of the lens from the white of your eyes, creating a clear distinction between the pupil and the sclera. That definition will make your eyes stand out, and this is very important if you’re attempting to enlarge the diameter of your eyes. Without this black ring, the diameter will be less clear. You’ll be losing the definition.
Tone
In general, grey lenses don’t come in a wide variety of tone variations. For the most part, you’re getting black and several similar shades of gray. No other color would naturally occur with grey, so it’s not often you find other colors mixed in. The only exception is lenses that incorporate a little bit of soft brown, or perhaps some yellow. The function of these tones is very specific, and if you have blue eyes, you won’t have to bother with them.
Grey lenses that have these yellow or light brown tones are perfect for blending. They’ll help the gray of the lens graduate into your natural eye color, creating a seamless transition. Grey is a very hard color to blend, and if you’ll have a hard time blending grey with your natural eye color, always opt for grey circle lenses that incorporate these tones.
Size or Diameter
You can go as large as you want with grey lenses, so long as they have a black limbal ring. The larger the lens is, the more likely you are to lose definition. This is something you’ll have to consider when shopping for grey lenses. Some lenses with dark grey limbal rings can actually look quite nice with larger diameters, but only if you have naturally large eyes.
If your eyes are average sized or small, the selection process will work a little better for you if you attempt to get the diameter of the lens as close to the natural size of your eye as possible. With grey lenses, diameter selection is easy as long as you remember one simple rule – the larger the diameter of the circle lens, the bigger you’ll want the black limbal ring.
Advice for Green Eyes
Opacity of the grey lens counts a lot with green eyes, and can make all the difference in determining the color your eyes will actually appear. Lenses that are medium or light opacity can make green eyes appear to be a soft mint color, peeking out from underneath the color of the lens. This isn’t necessarily something to be avoided – the look can potentially be gorgeous. While it won’t look truly grey, the way the grey will subdue your natural eye color will be gorgeous.
If you have green eyes and you’re really set on getting a lens that’s as grey as possible, you’ll want to choose a higher opacity lens with some yellow tones in the center. This will help the lens blend better with your natural eye color, and you won’t have to worry about the green disrupting the grey of your lens.
Advice for Blue Eyes
Blue eyes are the easiest to match with grey lenses, because many natural blue eyes already have grey tones. The only thing people with blue eyes should potentially avoid is grey lenses with yellow or brown tones. Since these tones don’t naturally occur in your eyes, the end result is a band of color that clashes. With blue eyes, you won’t have to worry so much about your natural color showing through around your irises – grey and blue already naturally blend. Just don’t make it more complicated by adding in different tones.
Advice for Brown Eyes
It’s hard to achieve a light grey on brown eyes. If this is what you’re going for, you’ll have to find a very opaque lens. If you’re looking for a darker grey, medium opacity lenses should be enough to lighten your brown eyes. The end result is something a little softer and shinier than black. Just be aware that medium or dark grey colored lenses will actually darken your eyes, rather than lightening them up.
If light grey is a must, you’ll have to worry about a little more than just the opacity. You’ll need a larger limbal ring, and you’ll want to use a lens with a smaller diameter. The brown showing through the center of the lens will quickly disrupt the color illusion. A smaller diameter will work better, because smaller diameter lenses will generally come closer to the pupil than larger diameter lenses will.
Overall, grey lenses are pretty complicated. Make sure you understand the colors and the tones of grey lenses before you buy. There’s a grey lens that will work on every eye color, helping you achieve whatever effect you desire. Just make sure you research the color of the lenses you’re considering before you buy.
